A device of this type is in particular suitable for the actuation of valve banks by means of a data bus.
From DE 42 30 414 C2, an electropneumatic control unit is known, wherein several valves, each being equipped with working modules, can be actuated via a data bus. All of the working modules are connected in parallel to the data bus and convert the serial data of the data bus into control signals, in particular parallel control signals, for the respective valves. If a larger number of valves or valve banks is involved, in particular, such an arrangement offers little variability, in particular if further working modules with different functions have to be controlled by or communicate with one and the same data bus.
From U.S. 2005/0288799 A1, a device for transmitting data is known, wherein a plurality of sensors can transmit their data via a data bus, for example to a microcomputer. As a communication protocol for the bus system, the HART protocol, the FOUNDATION field bus protocol and the Profibus-PA protocol may be used for example. In addition, the connected sensors may be supplied with energy via the data bus. To supplement the sensors, actuators can be connected to the data bus as well.